Vehicle-wheel.



C. SEEWALD.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED APR.22,1901.

SQSQSE, Patented sep1;.15,1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CHRISTIAN SEEWALROF WILLIMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

vnHrcLE-WHEEL.

Specication of `Letters Patent.

Application filed April 22, 190.7. Serial No. 369,540.

Patented sept. 15, isos.

To alt whom it may concern: v

Be 1t' known that I, CHRISTIAN SEEWALD, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Wil' liamsport, in the county of Lycoming and State of Pennsylvania,`have invented certain new and useful Improvements' in Vehicle'- Wheels; and I do declareV the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the .art tof which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in vehicle Wheels, es ecially with reierence to theprovision of y'ie ding, Vspring-metal spokes, which serve to cushion the wheels and obviate the necessity of employing pneumatic or cushion tires for thewhee Another feature of the invention is the provision of disks at the outer ends of the hub earlng against the inner and outer sides of the spokes to s tien them laterally.

Another feature is the provision, in connection Vwith such stitfening disks, of devices connecting said disks to bear against the spokes near their outer ends.

With the above and other objects in view,-

the invention consists of certain novel features of constructmn, combination and arrangement of devices, hereinafter described and claimed.

In'the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 is partly a side elevation and partly a section oi a vehicle wheel constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical` transverse sectional view of the same; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a modiiication; Fig. 4 is a transversesectional view ofthe same.

The rim 1 of the flat band. The tire 2 is shown as having an oval or rounded tread surface and a flat or square rim-engaging surface. The rim and the tire may be of an suitable construction and I do nor desire to imit myself in this particular. The hub 3 is composed of a central section 4 of cylindrical form, and disks 12.

-,The spokes 5 aremade of `spring metal. They'are here shown as flat bars, but they may be cylindrical or of any other form, and I do not desire to limit myself in this-particular. The inner and outer portions '6, 7, of the spokes are shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4l of the drawings, as straight and dis osed radially with reference to the Wheel,- t 1e in termediate portions '8. of the spokes being wheel is here shown as a adapted to yield and spring longitudinally,

as will be understood.

' The spokes are provided at their outer ends with ears or lugs 9, which extend in opposite directions, bear on the inner side of the rim, and are secured thereto by bolts or other suitable devices 13. The inner ends 11 of the spokes 'are Wedge-shaped and extend into similar-shaped radial openings in the central portion 4 of the hub. The disks 12 on the ends of the hub bear against the sides of the spokes and said disks arel sufficiently large to extend nearly to the rim of the wheel, so that they serve to nearly incase the'spokes. It Willbe understood that these disks by bearing against the sides ofthe spokes and extending nearly'to their outer ends, serve to brace the spokes laterally and prevent them from yielding., and. the wheel from becoming dished when subjected to lateral stress, such as is occasioned when the vehicle is turning a corner. --In order to prevent the spokes from bending to an undesirable extent When the Wheel is employed as a ldriving Wheel for an automobile vehicle, or for other purposes, I provide bolts or pins 14, Which connect the disks 12 and bear against the spokes near their outer ends. When power is-applied to the centralportion of the wheel to cause .thesame to turn, inonedirection, the hub tends to de scribe angular motion withfreference to the rim, and such angular motion causes the vbolts or pins 14 to bear against the outer portions of the s okes, and transmit the drivmg stress to sai outer ends.

A wheel constructed as hereinshown and described, will'possess all'of the elasticity or spring aHorded by the usual pneumatic tire, and will overcome the trouble occasionedby the puncturing or bursting of such tire.

In' the form of my invention shown in Y tion of the Wheel pass through openings near the inner ends of said spokes. The bolts 18,-

shown in said 4figures, .are similar tov and perform the same function as the bolts 1.4 shown inFigs.1and2. .-'i"

From the foregoing description, taken in y yconnection with the accompanying drawings,

the construction and operation of the invention will be reaily understood Without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing fromy the prineiple'or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What f -I claim as new, and desire to secure yby Let'- lters-Patent, is,-

1. A vehicle Wheel having a hub, spring spokes with their inner ends secured to said hub, a rim to which the outer ends of said spokes are fastened,disks at the ends of the hub bearing respectively against `the opposite sides ofthe spokes and means connecting said disks and engaging said spokes near the outer ends for transmitting driving stress to said spokes ,near their outer'ends.

' 2.. Avehicle Wheel having spring spokes and disks on the opposite sides of said spokes connected to the inner portions thereof, said disks incasing said spokes throughout the greater portion of their length for bracing them laterally and pins connecting said disks near their outer edges and arranged to bear against the puter ends ofthe spokes.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of tWo subscribing witnesses.

. CHRISTIAN SEEWALD. Witnesses: l

JOHNA C. ROGERS, A. M. HOAGLAND. 

